Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lincoln NE 68501

How to Become an Electrician in Lincoln Nebraska

Lincoln NE electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lincoln NE. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to examine. For example, many students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Lincoln NE

Lincoln NE electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lincoln NE. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Nebraska vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Nebraska community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Nebraska colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Lincoln NE electricians working on power linesElectricians in Lincoln NE can perform a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 levels of competency:

  • An experience requirement
  • Passing a written exam
  • Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Lincoln NE

attending electrician school online in Lincoln NEAn option that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Lincoln NE are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Lincoln NE electrician re-wiring circuit panelOnce you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lincoln NE region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Lincoln NE program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lincoln NE students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Lincoln NE area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lincoln NE electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lincoln home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lincoln NE, verify that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lincoln NE?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Lincoln NE area.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln (pronounced /ˈlɪŋkən/) is the capital of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers 94.267 square miles (244.150 km2) with a population of 284,736 in 2017. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 71st-largest in the United States. The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the state called the Lincoln Metropolitan and Lincoln-Beatrice Combined Statistical Areas. The statistical area is home to 353,120 people, making it the 106th-largest combined statistical area in the United States.

The city was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster on the wild salt marshes of what was to become Lancaster County. In 1867, the village of Lancaster became Nebraska's state capital and was renamed Lincoln. The Bertram G. Goodhue designed state capitol building was completed in 1932 and is the second tallest capitol in the United States. As the city is the seat of government for the state of Nebraska, the state and the United States government are major employers. The University of Nebraska was founded in Lincoln in 1867. The university is the largest in Nebraska with 26,079 students enrolled and is the city's third-largest employer. Other primary employers fall within the service and manufacturing industries, including a growing high-tech sector. The region makes up a part of what is known as the greater Midwest Silicon Prairie.

Designated as a "refugee-friendly" city by the U.S. Department of State in the 1970s, the city was the twelfth-largest resettlement site per capita in the United States by 2000. Refugee Vietnamese, Karen (Burmese ethnic minority), Sudanese and Yazidi (Iraqi ethnic minority) people, as well as other refugees from Iraq & the Middle East, have been resettled in the city. Lincoln Public Schools during the school year of 2017–18 provided support for approximately 3,100 students from 100 countries, who spoke 50 different languages.

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Select the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Lincoln NE

Picking the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lincoln NE.

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